STILL HERE...........

BEGGING FORGIVENESS!!!!!

I think many of us make promises to keep everyone informed and up to date through some form of social media.

We are some of THOSE people.

Our lives have been so full of students, class, 11 days in the Galilee, visiting family and friends.

Meetings.  Greetings.  Eatings.

We've loved every minute of every moment and have made many memories.

We are currently in the city of Ashdod, which is south of Tel Aviv, ready to go to the airport to pick up the next group of 79 students.

Weather has caused the city of Jerusalem to close major roads and so the faculty left early this morning to get to the airport early enough to meet them.  As I look out our window at the hotel the wind is whipping wildly, the rains are reeking havoc and the skies are black as pitch.

We are starting off this semester with quite the adventure and look forward to seeing the excitement in the faces of these young, eager students.

Pass it along would ya........we are still here.......still alive.........still happy.......still in love!

Just a 45 minute drive to the East......JORDAN!

Our last out of country experience took us to the country of Jordan.  It was a wonderful four days and the following pictures are an insignificant attempt to show our adventures.  But here goes...

We left bright and early on Monday morning and drove 45 minutes to the east.  We passed Jericho, the oldest city in the world, the Dead Sea, a lot of barren desert and reached the border.  The border was about a two hour process but the anticipation kept everyone happy and patient.

Mohammed was our Jordanian guide for the week.  He was a happy young man, very knowledgeable and had a wonderful spirit about him.  He was always sharing his historical knowledge and expertise of his country.

Ron's first teaching spot...the top of Mount Nebo, where Moses was translated and looked over into Israel.  It was a beautiful day and we could actually see all the way to Jerusalem.

Next was the Church at Madaba, where the oldest mosaic map of the ancient city of Jerusalem

was located

We then took a small drive up a winding road with spectacular views until we reached Machaerus, John the Baptist was said to be beheaded here. This was one of my favorite stops in Jordan.  Ron's teaching was insightful and the hike and views were incredible.

We spent the night in Wadi Musa.  We arrived late in the evening, with only time to eat and get a good nights rest for a HUGE day in the morning.  We awake to a hazy day with the threat of showers but were pleasantly surprised when the haze cleared and we never felt a drop of rain the whole day.

****PETRA****

Words and pictures cannot describe this place.  We walked and hiked over seven  miles during the course of the day.  Every way you turned your head there was another spectacular view or carving in the mountainside that literally took your breath away.  The canyon was full of history, artifacts, camels, horses, donkeys and merchant trying to make a few dinar.  Ron and I had a wonderful time and as we stood atop the high place,we looked at each other and exclaimed one more time,

"Look at where we are."

We rounded out the trip with museums, races in an ancient hippodrome at Jerash, King Hussein's auto and motorcycle museum, and our final stop at the Baptismal site at the Jordan River.  We are having a wonderful time and enjoying each others company every day.

Just another Holy Land experience.

Security update.

Security Updates

Wednesday, November 5

There were incidents today near the Temple Mount and at a light rail stop in Jerusalem. At the light rail stop two people were killed, an Israeli policeman and the Palestinian assailant. 

The Jerusalem light rail was put off limits to students a month ago, and this restriction will remain in place through the remainder of the semester.

The students are currently in Jordan where things are quiet, and field trip activities have gone forward without any problems. They will return to Jerusalem Thursday evening. East Jerusalem and the Old City will be off limits through at least Saturday evening when security in these areas will be reevaluated. Travel to West Jerusalem is permitted -- there have been no problems in this area and none are anticipated.

This update is straight from the Jerusalem Center link found on BYU.edu website. 

We had a wonderful time in Jordan.  Another step back in time. (Upcoming blog post!)

Tonight Ron and I watched CNN news to hear what the media says about what's going on here.  

It is a volatile city but we want you to know that we are very safe and are watched over and protected by the wonderful security personnel.  They take their job very seriously and love this program.

Yad Vashem

Depicted above is a sculpture at the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum.

Janus Korchek was a principal at a school and when the Germans came to take the children of the school to the gas chambers, he refused to stay behind at the school and watch the children walk to their death. Instead, he chose to give his life along with the children.

This was a very sober experience for me.  I have been in this Museum before and remember vividly the emotions I felt the first time I experienced this emotional journey.  

It is difficult for me to put into words or to depict through pictures today's field trip.

Ron and I walked together slowly through the exhibit reading accounts, listening to survivors tell their story and at times wiping away tears.

The Children's Memorial made the biggest impact on my mother heart and mind.  

War is ugly, hate is ugly, killing is senseless and ugly.

But when you add innocent children into the mix then all those things become barbaric, senseless, cruel and uglier.

Ron and I are living in a very volatile country right now.  

We are becoming educated on both the Palestinian and Jewish points of view

 on the history of this Holy Land.  

I am trying very hard not to take sides because to me there is not a correct choice.

If you have been reading the news you have seen that both sides provoke

 and both sides are the victims.  

One day a Jew is killed and the next day a Palestinian is killed. 

 None of it is good.  None of it is right.  All of it is UGLY.

And children are the innocent victims.

A day of contemplation.